1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems for providing useful energy in the form of electrical power, and more particularly to an improved system for utilization of multiple diverse energy sources in compressing large volumes of air, collecting, storing and distributing the air in a conduit system including interconnecting multiple module grids constructed of large conduit-pipe, utilizing the air as and where necessary to operate equipment for generating electricity near the points of use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of compressed air as a means to drive or operate numerous devices is well-known, and compressed air was widely used in the early development of modern industry. However, the development of oil and gas powered direct drive universal electrical energy generating and distribution systems have resulted in a virtual abandonment of the development of compressed air as a major industrial motive power. Consequently, air compression, storage, and transmission systems in use today generally include conventional branch and trunk type collection and transmission lines of relatively small flow size, with conventional air storage tanks, or accumulators, near the compressors and/or near the points of use. The storage tanks are expressly for the purpose of bridging over short periods of high use where compressor and normal line carrying capacities are normally overtaxed, and are not intended or built for storage of several days reserve usage of compressed air. Pressure losses in such conventional compressed air systems is a highly limiting factor in transmitting air in large volumes over any substantial distance.
The compressor installations in use today are generally single stage compressors for delivering relatively high volumes of air at low pressures, while two stages are used for medium pressures, and three stages for higher pressure, low volume air. This does not give sufficient volume-pressure automatic demand delivery flexibility in meeting maximum use demands for compressed air with minimum compressor equipment for large scale use.
Conventional compressed air controls for air motors which turn multiple electrical generators of power plants cannot adequately control the delivery of the driving air with the precision control required to reach and maintain the different optimum speeds required for different generators with varying work loads, due to the fact that such known automatic control devices generally regulate only air flow and not a combination of flow and pressure.
Electrical generating systems in use today normally make no provisions for storing energy during periods of low use for later utilization during times of peak use. This, generally, has resulted in discouraging the utilization of natural energy sources for the generation of electricity with the exception of a relatively small number of hydroelectric generating plants. Even in the case of hydroelectric plants such, for example, as that installed at the Grand Coulee Dam, it has been the general practice to directly couple large water turbines to fixed electrical generators, frequently making it necessary to duplicate or provide additional equipment in order to accomodate fluctuating demands. Under this type of development, only the very large water power sites are developed, and smaller sites are not considered economically feasible. Further, other collectively enormous sources of non-contaminating energy which have never been fully exploited due primarily to their intermittent nature: include solar energy, wind energy, and ocean tide and wave energy.